Father Figure
by Madame Poppoff
Summary: Follows James T. Kirk's life through the eyes of the one who swore to protect his smile all his life. Will have mentions of Tarsus IV, Slash of the Spork kind and foul language.
1. Chapter 1

He hadn't really wanted to see it, that day, when he stepped out of the shuttle after a long day at work at the shipyard. But his comrades where huddled around the video feed, sharing a few beers and one had noticed him despite his best efforts.

"Hey Kirk!" he yelled. "Your family is on T.V!"

Sometimes, on the worst nights that followed, he would turn back to that particular evening and wonder what it would be like if he had walked away and ignored the comments. Something about his mother, he had told himself. Most likely another grand scientific discovery of hers.

But then his stepfather's voice growled form the video and he realized that turning away was not an option anymore.

"I don't know how he did it!" he yelled. "The boy is a menace! I tried all I could think of but some boys are just rotten like that."

The news feed continued with pictures of a boy with a swollen and bruised face, his blond hair dirty and his blue eyes defeated. Then the screen filled with the image of a red and silver wreckage, a burned monstrosity of steel and chrome.

"That's my dad's car!" he gasped, feeling dread pool in his stomach as the reported continued to rant of delinquent children and how a twelve year old had driven his poor stepfather's antique down a cliff.

George Samuel Kirk was tired, after a twelve hour shift, he was sick of Riverside and needed to work as much as he could in order to buy his way out of town. He had left home to never look back.

But something was definitely wrong if his little innocent bookworm of a brother drove their father's beloved car down a cliff and then just stared blankly ahead with that bruised face that only Sam's trained eye could tell was not a result of the crash.

Otherwise his stepfather's wedding ring would not be so cleverly imprinted on his little brother's cheek.

A part of him told Sam he should just head back to the barracks, he was tired, no longer part of that hellhole that have been his home. Let mom be forced to come back, let her be the responsible one for once. He was done with being the adult in that house. He was free.

He made it to his room, to his cot, when Jim's defeated blue eyes flashed back into his mind eye.

"Damn it!" he snapped, grabbing his bag and throwing everything he owned into it. Once he was done he dashed from the shipyard and towards the last shuttle before he realized he had left half of his clothes behind. The shouts of: "Kirk! Hey, Kirk! Come back!" would ring in his ears as the perfect background music to his brother's damaged face.

He finally made it back to the farm at dawn, his breath ragged. Frank's dog was barking madly at him from his pen behind the house. Nor Jim nor Sam liked the mutt, but Frank insisted he kept the place safe.

His stepfather greeted him by the door, gun in hand. A drunken smile on his twisted face.

"So, the prodigal son comes back," he mocked. "I knew you'd be back soon, you can't just get away."

"Where's Jimmy?" he snapped, not wanting to waste anytime. "Where's my brother?"

Frank's smile widened, his eyes glinting with malicious satisfaction. Sam's own hazel eyes narrowed.

"Jim's gone," the man replied. "Your mom said I could send him to a colony near her post, she'll pick him up as soon as she can."

Sam frowned, hands clenched.

"When is she gonna pick him up?"

Frank shrugged.

"Hell if I know," he said. "As soon as her mission's over, I guess, six months, a year, I don't really care."

Sam started to tremble.

It wasn't fair. Jimmy was a good boy, far too smart for his own good. Now he was shipped off to another world just because he'd dared to rebel? Sam could not stand for it.

"I'll get him back! Call mom, tell her she has to send him back to Earth, to me!" he demanded. Frank shook his head.

"No can do," he laughed. "The brad wrecked my car and now he's paying for it in juvie, your mom can pull him out, sure, 'cause she's Starfleet, but she won't do it, not even if her runaway brat begs."

Sam's face went purple in rage.

"You... asshole!" he wasn't sure what happened afterwards. First he knew he had lunged at Frank, determined to wipe that gleeful grin off his face, but then the bastard had easily turned him in his arms, his boot crashing with his face once, twice, a pained gasp left his lips.

Then darkness...

***

He called his mother in the hospital, two weeks later, as soon as the doctors decided his jaw had mended correctly and pulled the metal wiring from his teeth.

"Sam," his mother said sadly. "Jimmy is out of control. You saw what she did to that old car."

"Bring him back, mom," Sam hissed. "I can ground him here on Earth, he's all alone in a colony now."

"It's a model colony, Sam," Winona tried to sooth. "I know it will be scare for him at first, but Jimmy will adapt. He'll get a better education there than he could get back home in Iowa."

Sam kept quiet, his eyes downcast.

Winona smiled in what she assumed was a reassuring way.

"In a year, we'll finish the xeno-geology research in this quadrant and I'll go straight there to pick your brother, you'll see he won't want to leave. I bet he will do anything in his power to stay in Tarsus IV."

He nodded weakly, refusing to acknowledge the hurt that pooled in his chest at his mother's relieved smile. Once again he had fallen before her.

They ended the conversation quickly and Winona never asked why her first born was in the hospital. Sam never offered an explanation either. He just swallowed up the bitterness creeping in his insides and decided he was the only one fit enough to welcome Jimmy home.

Whatever happened a year from now, Sam would be ready to greet his brother, he would be ready to protect him from Frank, from his mother if it was necessary.

If he ever believed in destiny it was at that moment, when he realized that he was a Kirk, and as such, he could never run from his responsibility.

He took the firs shuttle for San Francisco he found, in between chickens and pigs and illegal immigrants, clutching his bag to his chest as tightly as he could and memorizing the paperwork he had in his hands and the name of the man he needed to find, the only one with the power to help him now.

***

Jonathan Archer was indeed surprised to see him when he opened the door to his house. A smelly, dirty and tired sixteen year old was not exactly what he had expected when he received the memo from George Kirk's first born. Much less that said first born would stare angrily at him with fierce hazel eyes and demand his father's pension was handed to him directly from now on. There was fire on the boy's eyes, something raw. He realized George Jr. would not take no for an answer.

He quickly ushered the boy in, making sure no one saw them, and proceeded to explain to George Jr. who'd rather be called Samuel, that the money he was asking for had been placed by his mother in a trust fund until he and his brother were of age to go to College.

Samuel's eyes had narrowed, reminding the Admiral of his heroic father.

"I need the money now," he snapped, growing impatient as the old man only continued to stare at him in disbelief. "Jim and I can't wait until he's 17!"

Jonathan served him tea, an eyebrow raised.

"And tell me, Samuel, what would you do with your half of the money? It is an enormous amount," he asked. Sam looked down into his tea, somewhat lost in the lukewarm drink.

"I'd buy a house of my own," he said softly. "Finish school, get a job, study, I don't know."

"You can do all that back home, young man," Archer said. "In your mother's home."

Sam's frown darkened.

"That's not my home no more, sir," he sighed. "Please, Admiral, tell me what do to to get that money, I only have a year to be a responsible adult!"

Now Jonathan was intrigued.

"Samuel, you are sixteen, why would you want to be a responsible adult now?"

The boy fidgeted, visibly troubled.

"Because if I'm not, I can't take Jimmy away from Mom and Frank," he said finally, his whole pose defeated.

The Admiral's eyes widened, unable to believe his own ears. Commander Kirk was a model officer, always performing her duties admirably. It was hard to imagine something was going on in her model home, if her own son wanted to part from her and take his brother with him.

"Would your brother Jimmy be happy you took him from your mother and stepfather?" he asked cautiously.

The boy nodded miserably.

"Mom sent him to a colony," he said. "He was just angry, I'm sure he didn't meant to, he could have died. And instead of coming back to make sure he was ok, Mom signed him off to Tarsus IV. He's just a baby, Admiral, sir, he's my baby brother, he needs me!"

Archer sighed, not sure what to think. Samuel Kirk's eyes shone with determination. It was almost moving, the way he spoke about his little brother Jim. It showed great things about the older boy and his maturity. Any other child would have everything in his favor to resent the little baby that had gone back home instead of one's beloved father. Especially if the reports were accurate and young James Kirk was the splitting image of his dead father.

Yet Samuel adored James and was willing to travel all the way from Riverside to San Francisco on his own, beg a man he hardly knew and wage a war against his own mother to ensure said little brother's safety and happiness.

The man let a small smile curl his lips.

A remarkable young man indeed.

"You'll need a lawyer, then," he said. "To begin the process of your emancipation."

The bright smile he got in return was reward enough for the old Admiral Archer to ignore he was helping a boy raise hell and defy all known authority.

It had been a long while since his last adventure, he guessed.

To Be Continued.


	2. Chapter 2

It was amazing, what almost a year of hard work and studying could do to a young man dead set on a mission. By the time the eleventh month of Jim's sentence rolled around, Starfleet as a whole was enamored with Admiral Archer's new protégée.

Not many knew the circumstances that had driven young George Kirk Jr. to the Admiral's house, but the determined young man charmed everyone around him until many had to just go and congratulate the man for such a fortunate discovery.

Samuel, as it turned out, was highly intelligent and had finished his last two years of formal education within the first three months of his stay and was now engaged in an intensive Xenobiology course reserved only for remarkable students like himself.

Sam Kirk was going to be a doctor.

Each and every day he wrote a journal addressed to his brother, and sent the file to Jim's terminal as per their agreement. Tarsus IV was far deep in space and normal PADD to PADD communications took almost a month to arrive. Sam and Jim had agreed the, that each would write a monthly account of their lives to the other and send the file as regular mail. Sam encouraged Jim on his studies and showered his little brother in praise every time the younger boy sent him his grades. Jim always made sure to tell his brother about the friends he was making, the fun he had and the little trouble he got in whenever someone wanted to push him down. He made sure to tell Sam to eat his meals and not to push himself too hard.

'I know you are older, but I worry,' Jim often wrote. 'I take care of myself, but you gotta do the same, ok?'

Sam would smile and reply that yes, he was eating correctly, and yes, he was healthy. Admiral Archer wouldn't have it any other way.

Despite his earlier reservations, Sam did have to admit the colony was a good place for Jimmy, or so the little boy told him. He was confined within the correctional, of course, and of course, he missed home terribly, but for the first time in his life he didn't have to wait for his classmates to catch up with him, he didn't have to waste his time with subjects he couldn't care less about, and the library! From what Sam had read, Jim was in love with the Tarsus IV library and would spend most of his free time hole up there, devouring each and every book he could get his hands on.

Life was good for both Kirk siblings it seemed.

As he was still a minor and his emancipation was not as complete as he had hoped since his errant mother had not showed up for the audience nor did she contact court to reschedule, he realized he could not purchase any significant property at the moment, Sam thought it would only be fair to wait and weight his options. He still had a few months to think about before he could ask for his half of the farm back home, maybe he could purchase a small house for them both up there in Tarsus, so Jim didn't have to miss his schooling. The colony seemed prosper enough and as ar away from their heroic father's memory as it could.

Yes, he knew Jimmy would be delighted with the news.

Jim had told him, a month ago, that he had gotten his first kiss. A girl from the center had chased him left and right until she had cornered him against one of the tables in the library and stolen a quick kiss on the mouth form him. The whole ordeal, Jim wrote, had made Jim's best friend, David, become so angry that he had practically dragged Jim away and kissed the lights out of him.

Sam had laughed for hours, teasingly asking his brother which kiss he had liked better, if Irkana, the girl's, or David's the boy's. He guessed that by now one of them had managed to convince Jim to go out with them, and he was almost sure it was David, the one Jim had chosen.

He couldn't wait to go back to his room, log onto his terminal and curl in his chair to read Jim's mail that was surely waiting for him on his inbox. Schoolwork, his part-time job, even Jonathan's urgent message beeping madly on his PADD could wait.

That sunny day in August, however, Sam never made it to his desk.

Admiral Archer was waiting for him on their door, no dog in sight. A traveling bag rested at his feet and a grave, almost pitying expression marred his aged face. By the dark bags under his eyes and the red rim they had around the irises, Sam could easily tell the old Admiral had not had a decent night of sleep in a while.

"Admiral?" he asked, stopping in front of him worriedly.

Jonathan stared at him sadly.

"Samuel," Archer said. "We need to talk. Officially, it is my duty to stop you, but as I know it would be futile, I have decided I'd rather help you out on your new adventure."

Instantly, the teen knew something was wrong. He also knew it had to do with Jim.

"What happened to my brother?" he asked faintly, feeling dread pool in his stomach.

Wordlessly, the Admiral handed him a PADD, eyes solemn.

"We'll take a shuttle towards docking point as soon as you want," he said, sitting on the steps of their porch. "A ship is waiting for us."

Sam nodded, his eyes scanning the PADD frantically, devouring every word hungrily, desperately. A fungus had whipped out all the crops in Tarsus IV, food was scarce, people were lining in front of the Governor's house to plead for help. Kodos had declared martial law all over the settlement, and prepared for rationalization.

A month later, citizens had started to disappear, or so the report read, people were dying, chaos reigned, the anonymous informant had followed Kodos' guards and found the death camps. Some twisted idea of eugenics were being employed to select citizens that would not need to survive. A group had taken it upon themselves to break into one of the guards' comm. Posts and hacked into their systems to send for help back on earth.

'He's gonna kill us all,' the message said. 'Please send food, troops and doctors, he's killing us all, we need you!'

Attached was a copy of the Governor's speech, and maps of all camps the rebellion had discovered.

The PADD fell from Sam's limp fingers, the words ringing in his ears.

'People are dying, children are being slaughtered.'

"Jimmy…" he whimpered, rushing to take his terminal out of his bookbag and logging frantically. It was already past noon, Jim's mail should have arrived hours ago. Trying to get his shaking limbs to work, Sam checked his inbox.

It was empty.

Black spots filled his vision, the air rushed out of his lungs and refused to come back. People in Tarsus IV were dying, Jimmy could be dying right now.

An arm wrapped around his back, holding him upright. Admiral Archer was rocking him back and forthwhispering in his ear.

"Samuel," he said gently. "Calm down, come on, breath in, that's right, now out."

The teen nodded, eyes wide.

"I need to go there, he's a boy, he's starving and frightened, I know Jimmy."

Archer nodded.

"Let's go to the shuttle," he said. "Three ships full of supplies and personnel left for the colony a week ago. All ships near the colony have been alerted and are on their way. And a second group of aid is ready to sail out today, we will go in one of those ships."

Sam nodded again, slowly picking up the bag the Admiral prepared for him, later on, when he was calmed, he would feel grateful he had found an friend and confidant in the old Admiral, and that the man knew him enough to know he would have gone with or without him to that blasted hellhole.

"How… long?" he whispered as they walked towards the shuttle.

"Four months, Tarsus IV is too far away from us, I'm sorry."

Sam shook his head mutedly.

Once they were safely riding the shuttle towards San Francisco's Space Port, he finally allowed the tears pooling in his eyes to fall.

Due to his area of studies, Sam was grouped with the rest of the medical personnel on the ship. He shared a small room with seven other doctors and nurses, all volunteers. Sam couldn't care less, he was going to get Jimmy, he was going to protect his little brother, it was all that mattered.

He spent his days leeching as much knowledge as he could form those around him and his nights re-reading Jim's comms. It was torture, the doctors said, he had to stop it before he went mad. There was no guarantee his brother was still alive. Sam knew all that, yet he couldn't stop even if he had wanted to. He needed to keep his brother alive, if only on his head.

He could still remember clearly his Jimmy's chubby face the first and only time he had commed him from Admiral Archer's home, a birthday present of both, the old man had said, and Sam knew he was using a very private and important equipment, if the Admiral had to get the Comm Unit into their home hidden under his jacket.

Jim had stared at the screen in confusion for a moment before his eyes widened and filled with enormous tears.

"S… Sammy?" he asked.

"Hey, Jimmy, are you ok?" he said with a small smile, fully away that the Admiral was watching them.

"Of course I'm ok! I'm a big boy!" the younger boy said confidently, trying to fake bravado.

"I want the truth, Jimmy," Sam sighed. "I won't get angry."

Jim's shoulders slumped instantly.

"I'm scared, Sammy," he admitted finally. "What's gonna happen to me?" Sam's heart broke, guilt eating his insides. He'd really tried to leave his baby brother behind.

"You need to be strong, Jimmy," he said. "You need to last a year in there, then they'll take you home. I promise I'll be there to pick you up. I'll have a house ready for us both by then, a new house just for us!"

Jim's tears rolled down his still bruised cheeks.

"We won't have to live with Frank anymore?"

"We'll never see him again, I promise," Sam assured, placing a hand on the screen. "But you need to be strong for me, Jim, can you do that?"

Jim nodded, placing his hand on top of his brother's on the screen.

"I swear, Sammy," he said in a half whimper. "I'll be a strong boy,, you'll be proud of me!"

"I'll write to you everyday, Jimmy, we won't lose eachother again."

Jimmy nodded again, letting his hand fall back when the officer behind him told him his time was up.

"Gotta go," he said sadly.

"Love you, kiddo," Sam said, trying to smile.

"Love you too, Sammy."

He replayed the conversation over and over in his head, hands tight, chin trembling. He knew jimmy would do anything in his power to stay alive. They had promised, and Jimmy never, ever, broke a promise.

Jimmy would not leave him behind like their Dad had done.

Admiral Archer placed a hand on his shoulder, startling him.

"The first group landed on Tarsus IV," he said. "It's not good."

Sam continued to star at the start outside.

"A week left, then?" he asked. "Jimmy promised. He's waiting for me."

Man and boy kept silent from then on, until it was time to bid eachother goodnight. None of them knew what to say in such situation.

To be Continued.


	3. Chapter 3

He had been four, the day his mother came home from Starfleet medical. He'd been waiting for her and could hardly understand why his Grandpa was crying, and Grandma was holding a bundle of squirming blankets in her arms while his Mommy sat in her rocking chair and cried her eyes out.

He stared at the door, then, wondering where was his Daddy.

He had been four, at the time, and it took him a long time to understand that his Daddy was never coming home.

Grandma had showed him the content of her squirming bundle and Sam was shocked to see a sort of human-looking pink blob.

"Sam," she said, her voice cracking. "This is your little brother, Jim."

Later on, when asked what he had felt the first time he had seen Jim, he would have to be honest and say he had not felt a thing. Mommy had been crying, Daddy was not home and his little brother looked like a red, bloated monkey.

Jim was a blob of flailing limbs, scrunched eyes that did not really cry all that much, and whenever he actually did cry, Grandma would be by his side, feeling cooing and making everything alight again.

Mom would lie in her bed all day, staring at the ceiling, crying. Sometimes Sam saw her get up and wander their farm in her pajamas. Her pale face, unkempt hair and white camisole made him think she was a ghost, now, just like Daddy.

It was a year later that the connection between both siblings had been formed.

Sam had been woken by his brother's screaming, and no matter how much he waited, Grandma's light footsteps were not near his brother's nursery. He turned and tossed in his big-boy bed, waited for Grandpa to go then. His mother started whimpering from her own room, calling out his Daddy's name.

Sam had clenched his hands tightly, feeling his frustration turn to anger. Stupid baby Jimmy, how dare he wake him up in the middle of the night, how dare he make Mommy cry. How dare he come back when Daddy was left behind in space! Sam was five, he didn't need an annoying baby brother, he wanted his Daddy back home, his Mommy to smile like she used to, his Grandpa and Grandma to laugh like always.

He got out of bed, barefoot, and stalked noisily towards the baby's room, dragging a chair behind him so he could reach the top of baby Jim's cradle.

The baby was wailing by then, his face red and swollen, his tiny hands reaching for something Sam didn't understand.

"Shut up!" he yelled. "Aren't you a boy? Aren't you a Kirk? Boys don't cry! Especially Kirk boys!"

He'd been so angry then, so sick and tired and desperate. He had reached into the cradle with a fist to whack the baby on his tiny blond head, unleash the months of pain on him, when his Daddy's blue eyes stared tearfully into his own hazel ones.

The fist relaxed when curious fingers, tiny, so tiny, grasped his own and tugged on them experimentally.

It was as if a magic spell had fallen over their house, nothing existed but baby Jimmy's blue eyes and his little hand tight on Sam's. Everything became quiet and all the anger, all the pain left him as if drained out of him. It made sense, in a way. His father had thought Jimmy was worth enough to give his life for. He had protected Jimmy and their Mommy with all his might.

Jimmy was important to his Daddy, then.

Well, he could be important to Sam as well.

He found himself climbing into the cradle and taking the baby in his arms, giggling softly when Jimmy snuggled into his chest with a tired sigh, small hands clutching his shirt.

"So, you are just lonely," he whispered, running his fingers over his brother's soft hair. "It's ok; I get lonely too, sometimes. Don't worry Jimmy; big brother is going to take care of you from now on."

That morning, Grandma found them snuggled in Jimmy's cradle together, fast asleep. It would be the last time that cradle was used in their house.

Sam walked the deserted streets of Tarsus IV in shock. The air was thick and smoky, obscuring the sun from view enough to turn the cheerful buildings into shadowed monsters. From time to time a truck carrying corpses would pass him by towards the crematory, and the stench of rotting flesh would be pushed under his nose and made him gag. He didn't stop his walking, however, not even to puke.

Jimmy had yet to be found, they told him, and now it was his duty to find his baby brother.

Some of the survivors stumbled past him, sunken eyes watching distrustfully as the boy checked every nook and cranny, every building and ditch. Most of the faces he saw could hardly be called human, but he knew he would be able to recognize his jimmy's face in the middle of the groups of living skeletons, should he find him.

More often than not, he would pass a shelter, just one of the many tents the federation set as improvised hospitals. Sam would stop then, peer in, hardening his stare as rows upon rows of children looked hopefully at him before lowering their heads in disappointment.

"Any of you from juvie?" he asked, sighing when they all shook their heads. The routine would go for hours.

Sometimes wraith like figures clung to his clothes and begged for food, for help. Sam dutifully gave them a bottle of water and a chip that would signal Starfleet personnel of their position.

"Hold this," he would say. "The Federation will come for you in a moment."

The sun was setting down over the colony, Sam had not slept for the past two days and his feet were blistered and raw, when a tug on his pants made him stop to look down.

A child was crawling towards him on the boniest knees he had ever seen and hands that looked about to snap at any given moment. Sam had to find Jim still, the light was becoming scarce by the second, but he had sworn an oath and he wanted to become a doctor for a reason.

"Are you hurt somewhere?" he asked, kneeling by the boy. "Is your leg hurt?"

The boy looked at him with yellowed eyes, liver failure, he thought, and shook his head.

"He told me to crawl," the boy said weakly. His voice raspy and scratchy with misuse. "He said it would tire me less if I did." Sam realized there was no way the boy could stand on his own; the weight of his body would make his dizzy in his weakened state.

"Are you the only one left?" he asked, activating his last chip. The boy shook his head again.

"He said I should go and get help now that the soldiers are gone. That I should look for the people with the stars." And the boy opened one bloody hand; nails cracked, and drew a familiar shape on the dirt with a shaking finger.

The Starfleet symbol.

The boy had been sent to get help, crawling on his hands and knees to cover more ground before he fainted. He knew he had to look for a Starfleet badge and to differentiate soldiers from doctors.

Someone smart had sent the boy.

Someone who knew Starfleet.

"Who told you this?" he asked, taking the boy's hand in his own. Yellowish eyes filled with tears.

"Jim did. He's hurt. He needs help."

"He's alive?" Sam asked, heart hammering in his chest. The boy nodded.

"Jim's being taking care of me like Mommy said. Him, Tommy and I, we are the only ones left. He was trying to get a hailing frequency but he fell, he hurt his legs. Please help Jimmy! His big bro is waiting for him!"

Sam's eyes filled with tears then, his vision blurred.

"Where is he, I'll go get him," he begged, already doing a mental count of his supplies and what he could use if Jim couldn't walk on his own.

The boy pointed down the streets, eyes haunted.

"I came this way, Tommy went the other way, behind a tree there is a sewer, and we all hid there."

Sam was on his feet in an instant.

"Stay here, I'll go get them both," he said before rushing towards the sewer, his hands typing a message to medical. Three boys, he wrote, two are crawling near the perimeter, searching for help, the third on is on a sewer, I'm on my way to get him.

He dropped his terminal before he realized he had done so. His brother was alive, he was in pain but he was alive. Jimmy had kept his promise.

"Jim!" he cried as he entered the sewer. "Jimmy! Answer me! It's me! It's Sam!"

A breezy hiss reached his ears. Sam jumped onto the water, navigating between waste and darkness unmindful of the stench, following the sound of shallow breathing.

"Jimmy, one more! I need to know where you are!" he yelled. Silence fell.

Long, painful, heart-breaking second passed, stabbing Sam with each beat of his heart. Was Jim dead? Was he too late? Had he come this far only to find his baby brother's corpse?

Then, he heard it.

It was faint, weak; everyone else would have missed it.

Clank… clank… clank….

Someone was banging something against the copper pipes. Jimmy was trying to guide him.

He ran.

Having already seen most of the survivors, Sam thought he was ready for everything. He'd seen people so sick the only thing the doctors could do for them was to put them to sleep. Corpses of all sizes and shapes, some with huge bite marks on their legs and arms. He'd read every report, studied all witness accounts.

He knew by now what kind of horrors had happened in the colony.

He thought he was ready to see his little brother; he was prepared to rescue Jimmy.

The sight that greeted him when he finally reached his brother, however, froze his insides and, as an anguished wail was ripped from his throat, he realized he would never be ready to see Jim hurt.

Or if that pale, skinny figure with yellowed eyes, twisted gingers and scabbed lips was his little Jimmy. Those blue eyes stared at him worriedly, a hand was clutching a rock tightly, fingernails gone, maybe fallen off, most likely eaten in desperation. Jim's blond hair, the one he adored to run his fingers through, had fallen due to malnutrition and hardly covered his brother's skull. The sunken cheeks were red and he could see the rotten front teeth on his Jimmy's mouth.

Sam felt like crying.

"Ssss'my…" his brother hissed. "Ou…came... fr me…" A twisted and bloodied hand reached weakly for him. Sam grabbed it as if his life depended on it. It did, in fact.

"Of course I came!" he whimpered. "I promised I would."

"'kept ur proms," Jim said with the best smile his rotten mouth could muster.

"Sure we did, kiddo," Sam smiled back, tears streaming down his face. "This is going to hurt, Jimmy, but I need you to hold as hard as you can, I'm gonna take you out of here."

"Hum?"

"Yeah, Jimmy, we're going home."

"… ghd…"

Silence fell between them as Jim gritted his teeth, trying not to scream as his brother picked him up in his arms. Sam could not appreciate the way Jim's legs where twisted in an impossible angle, how the skin of his back was raw.

The splashing sound of Sam's footsteps was the only sound they heard as they left the sewer.

Outside, Admiral Archer was waiting for them, a boy in his arms that Jimmy identified with a weak laugh.

"Jimmy!" the boy cried happily.

"Hey…tmmy," Jim said, resting his head on Sam's shoulder.

Admiral Archer nodded at Sam proudly and motioned him to the ambulance waiting for them. Inside, the first little boy, the one that had lead him to his brother, was waiting for them. Sam boarded it with a grateful smile, allowing the little boy, now identified as Kevin, to cry to his leisure while holding one of Jim's bloody hands.

Not once did he let go of his brother's shaking body.

To be Continued.


	4. Chapter 4

Clearing the colony of survivors had taken almost two weeks. Making sure all were healthy and accommodating them all inside the scarce ships as they arrived to Tarsus IV had been tiring, almost to the point of numbness, but it had to be accomplished if the Federation wanted to conduct a completely successful rescue mission.

Sam had spent the majority of those two weeks checking lists and talking to new orphans - who were more probable to trust a teen like him than an adult like the other officers – contacting his lawyer, Mr. Parker, and his mother, who was still out of communication range due to her own exploration mission, and finally, monitoring Jim's progress through the innumerable surgeries he had to be submitted to and the counseling sessions he refused to go to unless Sammy was there with him.

At night, he held his brother's shaking hand – healing, at least, little nails were steadily growing on his little Jimmy's fingers, thanks god – and tried to smile as the doctors delivered their stoic reports of Jim's daily improvement. And encouraged a toothless smile from him until the boy fell asleep.

As many of the other children, Jim was skittish and would whimper every time a nurse or a doctor came too close to him. He couldn't cry out or scream like the others, however, as the doctors had to remove all his rotten teeth and were currently trying to make his gums accept the dental pieces they had built for him, which in turn, made them sow his mouth shut with their special nano-biowiring, which to him, with his medical knowledge was quite normal, but to his traumatized twelve year old brother, was torture.

Some doctors aboard the ship encouraged Sam to sit with Jim and chat with him, to make him feel as normal as he could and to try to remind him daily that it was only for a while that he would be weak and helpless. Sam understood and would do anything in his power to help his little brother. He sometimes sneaked little shots of hot chocolate for Jim to sip through his wiring – not much, though, he knew Jim could throw up if his stomach was over charged and he didn't want to imagine how horrible it would be for his Jimmy if he had to puke but could not open his own mouth – and often brought little Kevin and Thomas to sleep in Jim's bed.

The relief Sam had felt the moment their ship had departed the accursed Tarsus IV was short-lived, however, as he went into Jimmy's room that night for their usual hand-holding and conversation, feeling tired and cranky, ready to curl by his brother and caress his bald head – the doctors assured him it was just a matter of time before Jim recovered all his beautiful blond locks – when he realized his usual spot by Jim's side was already occupied.

A boy was sitting on Jim's bed, eyes closed; hands tense on his baby brother's yellow-ish face, the tips of his tiny, pointy ears tinted a faint green tone.

Sam saw red.

Yes, he knew the Vulcans were the first and most numerous to arrive with help for the survivors, the very ship they were sailing towards Earth on was Vulcan, and he should feel grateful for their superior knowledge, but that little brat was boldly invading his little brother's personal space and Jim's eyes were so wide, so scared, tears were rolling down his sunken cheeks as he struggled to open his mouth and cry out for help.

To hell with proper protocol!

"Hey! You!" he roared, feeling a small twinge of satisfaction as the Vulcan boy snatched his hand away from Jim with a visible start. "What the hell do you think you are doing to my brother?"

The Vulcan boy stood, eyes wide.

"Your brother was crying," he said. "I was merely trying to assess the mental stability of his psyche in order to provide a suitable response to his need of…"

"Mental stability my as!" Sam snapped. "What's your name, you fucking brat! Children without authorized supervision are not allowed here! Ambassador Sarek will know about this!"

The boy hesitated for a moment, eyes guilty, before he nodded in understanding.

"I am Stonn," he replied finally.

"Well then, Stonn," Sam growled, pulling him forcefully out of the room by the arm. "The Ambassador will know about this, so you'd better get ready to be punished. My brother is out of limits, get it!"

Stonn nodded, gave Jim one last longing glance – in Sam's opinion it was longing, anyway. His poor brother was always such a heart breaker – before hurrying away. Sam sighed, taking his brother's frail body in his arms and sitting on the bed, rocking Jim back and forth gently.

"Shhh, it's ok, Jimmy," he soothed. "I've got you now, baby. No one's gonna touch you again until you want them to, ok? I promise, Jimmy, you know I always keep my promises, right?"

Jim's frightened whimpers slowly subsided until his trembling fingers were still enough to grasp Sam's hand and give it a small squeeze in response. The older boy smiled, laying a kiss on his brother's forehead, trying to ignore the scars that lined his Jim's skin that would, hopefully, be covered by his hair in a few months.

Jim raised a hand suddenly, trying to reach the PADD Sam had left for him to amuse himself during the day. Sam allowed it, and grinned when Jim started to scribble a message.

**'He was just curious,'** he wrote. **'He meant no harm.'**

"How can you know, Jimmy?" Sam asked, snuggling the little body to him. Jim smiled weakly.

**'I dunno, I just do.' **

"Ok, I promise I'll let the Ambassador know as well," he said gently.

Miraculously, Jim's brain waves were far more coherent after that incident, or so the doctors said. He still had nightmares, of course. Sam doubted those would stop for years to come, but his heart didn't nearly burst out of his weakened chest nor did he fails frantically with the need to vomit anymore. Sometimes, however, Sam thought he was making progress, eating on his own, sleeping a whole nap on his own, but then something would happen that would make his brother go back into hiding and crying and pissing himself.

It was heart-breaking to watch his brother try to crawl out of his own clothes, face full of shame and frustration.

The Vulcan children were helping, of course. Sam's complete dislike of all things Vulcan resided on the little fact that children aboard the ship kept following him around. All stoic chubby faces with arrow straight backs trying to cover child-like curiosity and, as far as one of them had told him, solving the riddle one of their instructors had given them.

Why so many children on the ship?

Well, it happened that one of the first ships to respond to the distress call had been a Vulcan ship on its way home from an educational surveillance and investigation leave for your minds, or whatever the Vulcans called children's summer camp, and that meant the instructors decided it would only be logical to assist the survivors and further their own charges' chance at education.

Instructor Sikah had already asked Sam's permission on one occasion for the children to stare at Jim from a secluded window, not to have close contact with his troubled mind. Sam had agreed, of course, thinking that it was a little cruel of the man to show children the horror of the tragedy as his brother was a perfect embodiment of such, but he had never guessed that bastard of a Vulcan would use the chance to broaden the kids' minds by posing a mental challenge for them.

That Stonn brat had been severely reprimanded, and Sikah and the other Vulcan instructors had assured Sam that they had warned all children from bothering the survivors in their vulnerable state. However, all Vulcan eyes had turned thus to Jim and Sam, as their abnormal behavior – by Vulcan standards, at the very least – had become completely 'fascinating' or so the little Vulcan girl that had become his constant shadow had told him.

It had been the little T'Pill, or whatever her name was, who had made Sam aware of the little riddle instructor Sikah had given his charges: "Should you be faced with a creature such as this," he had said seriously. "I would like to hear your thoughts on species and origin." Which was the main reason, the little girl explained, as to why all children kept following Dr. Kirk – obviously the doctor in charge of patient 097-B, as Jim had been tagged - and lingered outside Jim's room.

Sam thought the little girl experienced shame for herself and her race for the first time when, instead of providing the information she so sought from Dr. Kirk, Sam had stalked away as quickly as he could, face red and eyes hard, had found instructor Sikah and had delivered a punch to his expressionless face with all the strength his years in Iowa had given him.

"Listen to me, asshole!" he roared, grabbing the man by the robes and feeling a little satisfied when the Vulcan faltered for a second. "Jim is not a science pet project for you or your students, he is innocent and you will stop playing with him as if he was a freak! Or so help me god I'm going to pummel that big head of yours until your prodigious brain leaks out of those pointy ears, you hear? Tell your children to back off Jim!"

Admiral Archer had to pull him back from the Vulcan as he continued to scream treats and rants of violence to whoever dared to make fun of Jimmy and his condition. Jimmy was not alone anymore, he swore, now Jimmy had Sam Kirk to protect him and he would not be mocked nor studied like an animal!

The Admiral had listened to his explanations, hours later and had apologized to him with a proud pat to his shoulder.

"Had he done that same shit to me," the old man said. "I guess I would have done the same."

Ambassador Sarek himself sent a file to them expressing his most deep regrets at the incident, much to Sam's and Archer's surprise. Instructor Sikah had only wanted the children to realize the effect malnutrition could have on the human body and that human will could go beyond bodily requirements in order to survive, but had gone the wrong way about it. Sam snorted hatefully when the Ambassador told them instructor Sikah was most ashamed of his behavior and would do all in his hands to correct his mistake.

When Sam stalked out, heading towards the replicator to get Jim's lunch, he found the Vulcan girl waiting for him by the door, eyes solemn and head lowered.

"I believe I must apologize as well, Dr. Kirk," she said softly. "I did not understand the situation to its fullest and have, therefore, upset you and offended the integrity of your patient. I also feel ashamed of my instructor's actions and I can only hope you shall not think ill of all of us Vulcan because of his misjudgment."

Sam blinked, surprised, then sighed.

Of course, the girl must have been there when he had exploded on Sikah and afterwards, as the Ambassador chewed him out. That little girl must have understood they were doing something wrong and it was within her Vulcan-logical-whatever for her to apologize as well.

She felt responsible.

With a careless hand, he patted her lowered head, ignoring how her whole face tinted green and her eyes widened in shock, before giving her a wide, calm smile, the one he used to pull a giggle out of his Jimmy.

"Apology accepted, T'Ping?"

The girl frowned a not-so-really-there pout on her mouth.

"You should stop trying to pronounce my name, Dr. Kirk, you will never get it right with your human tongue," she said. Sam laughed.

"Well then, I'm going to see my brother now," he said, offering his hand. "Would you like to join me? I'm sure he'd like to meet some other children."

The Vulcan girl nodded, shyly taking his hand in hers and flushing a deep olive color to the tip of her pointy ears.

"May I possibly inquire about the nature of your patient, Dr. Kirk?" she said suddenly, as they walked. "Out of general curiosity and not of any malice?"

Sam shook his head.

"Jim? He's my brother," he explained, entering his security code on the door. "You do the math."

The girl stopped momentarily, her eyes wide and little mouth hanging open in shock. It seemed her mind could not conjure the idea that Dr. Kirk was actually the creature's relative, which would mean that patient 097-B was actually a human being. Impossible, illogical. Sam tried to suppress a laugh.

He had shocked the emotional control out of the girl.

"Then my apology must not suffice, if I have wronged a relative of yours with my attitude," she said suddenly.

"Uh? Why you say that?" he asked in confusion, typing his order for his brother's lunch.

"Admiral Archer explained to us the importance of familial bonds between humans and that subjects of the same kin would often take offense on behalf of their siblings," she said. "He also said that should I offend any human male that I should give them what he called 'a sassy wink with those pretty eyes' so they should be appeased." And then, the little girl proceeded to close her left eyelid over her eye for a second in what she must have determined, was a sassy wink.

Sadly, her neutral expression never changed.

Sam snorted.

It had been a while since he had interacted with people close to his age and relaxed in conversation, even if the other party was a weird Vulcan girl trying to sass him up. Suddenly a distressed shriek alerted them both and made Sam's tray fall from his hands.

The noise came from Jim's room.

"JIM!" he cried, rushing past the girl and into his brother's room, heart hammering in his chest.

A nurse was sitting on the floor, a bruise forming in her face as she gapped at the huddled figure on the bed.

"Nurse Jennings!" Sam said. "What is the meaning of this!"

The woman turned to him, eyes wide.

"I was going to give the patient his daily shot when he started to trash and try to escape," she explained, not still out of her shocked state. "I tried to reason with him but suddenly that boy entered the room, backhanded me and then took position over the patient, sir!"

"You shall not take a step further into this room, nor will you approach him with your hands," the boy hissed, brown eyes narrowed to slits.

"You… you…" the nurse cried in outrage, standing from her sitting position.

The boy, the one could easily recognize as Stonn, had a hand on top of Jim's head, fingers caressing the soft blond fuss his brother had in what Sam could only describe as a too human gesture of comfort. His teeth were bared at the nurse and a low, animalistic growl curled from his chest.

The little Vulcan girl said something in their language that Sam couldn't make out, making Stonn turn to her and hiss a response. The girl blinked, her eyes focused on Jim and then Sam, her petit hand curled almost unconsciously on the older human's one.

The nurse huffed, muttered some ill-thought treats about pointy eared brats who would not do as they were told before stalking away, eyes hard. She never apologized to Sam for the scene nor did she mention the fact that she had not found Jim's chart by the boy's bed, as it was still in Sam's pocket.

Once the woman was gone, the focus of Stonn's hatred shifted to him, and the same dangerous growl rumbled through the small room.

Sam's eyes narrowed back, ready to fight the Vulcan off Jimmy if necessary, when Jimmy himself raised teary blue eyes to him and a pathetic grumbled escaped his pale lips.

"Ssshhhmmy!" he said.

Sam was by his side in seconds, cradling his body in his arms and letting Jim cry into his shoulder, trembling hands trying to curl a lock of Sam's hair into thin fingers. How long had it been since he had cut it? Too long maybe. He should shake his head off, it would make Jimmy smile.

"You are not a threat to his safety?" Stonn asked, confused. The Vulcan girl shook her head.

"Dr. Kirk is this patient's older brother," she said evenly, arms behind her back.

Stonn nodded then, eyes solemn.

"I was passing by when I noticed the woman inside the room," he explained. "She held him by the arm and was trying to stab him with a hypo spray, causing him great distress. I've seen before that all vitamins are administered orally to him, therefore I believe she must have committed a mistake. Your brother became more and more agitated with her attempts and then I was forced to interfere."

Sam sighed, feeling a headache coming.

"Thank you, Stonn," he said softly, nuzzling Jim's ear with his nose. "Please hand me my kit, will you? This little rascal pulled a nano-wire off and I'll better fix it now."

Jim snuggled into Sam's chest tiredly, a small, apologetic smile on his face as he pulled his bleeding lip back.

"Does it hurt, Jimmy?" he asked. Jim shook his head, eyes going to rest on the Vulcan's worried ones.

"Thhhh…k…..uuuu…" he tried, only to be reprimanded by Sam.

"I do not understand that language, I am afraid," Stonn said, tilting his head.

"He means thank you," Sam translated, running the dermal regenerator over Jim's mouth. "No more talking to you, mister, or you'll twist your new teeth."

Jimmy nodded, offering a hand towards Stonn. The boy flushed violently green before he grasped Jim's hand carefully, as if it was a wild animal. The Vulcan girl muttered something in their language, something that made Stonn shake his head and snap something at her. He didn't release Jim's hand until one of their instructors – not Sikah, at least – came to retrieve him and the girl for the day.

Sam laid Jim in his bed and curled by his side, considering all that was happening around him. He guessed Vulcan's were not as bad as he had thought, and he could allow a little Vulcan shadow on his brother's side if it ensured such protection to his baby.

To be continued.


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Notes: Hey you guys! Sorry for the long wait! I'm currently still stuck in Madrid but should be home by the end of the month. Stupid thing is, I was going to go to Thailand for X-mas... Oh, well. I guess I can spend a Holiday in Chile for a change. I might take a little while to come up with the next chapter, I still have the Harry Potter fest to answer for and that fic will become my priority for a while. **

**Now onto the fic!**

As the third month of their trip home neared its end and Sam and Jim managed to settle into a comfortable routine of studying, resting and healing, the call the older sibling had been waiting for finally reached the Vulcan cruiser.

Sam had been loath to leave Jimmy alone that night, but he knew he didn't want his brother to know exactly what he'd been up to until the whole process had been completed and they could both be considered free of the past that dragged them down.

Jim, however, was still vulnerable and needed to be watched over in case any emergency arose while he was away. Which was the reason he almost dragged his feet over to the other side of the ship, cursing his own necessity as he knocked on a single door.

"Hey, Stonn?" he called. "Are you there?"

Not three seconds later the door opened in a rush and a nervous – or as nervous as a Vulcan could look – Stonn approached him, hands tense behind his back, brown eyes anxious and confused.

"Dr. Kirk?" he asked. "Is everything ok?"

"Hey," Sam greeted awkwardly. "Listen, I know we started on the wrong foot and everything, but you like Jimmy and he can relax around you more than he relaxes around The Admiral…"

Stonn nodded solemly.

"That is correct, James and I have formed a bond," he said, almost proudly. Sam shook his head. Bond didn't even describe the way the young Vulcan hovered around Jim whenever he thought he could get away with it. Sam had received almost uncountable complains from him everytime little Kevin or Tom decided to spend the night in Jim's bed and no matter how much he tried to reassure Stonn it was perfectly normal behavior between human males who have undergone a stressful situation together the boy would not bulge and insisted he would patrol the room while the three slept, if only to make sure they were not a threat to Jimmy's safety.

Sam had smiled at that.

Usually a Vulcan instructor had to be called into the room to bodily drag Stonn away while stoically reprimanding him in their mother tongue. Sam sometimes wished he'd taken Vulcan in school instead of Andorian, if only to understand what the older Vulcan was telling the stubborn brat.

Of course, there was the memorable time when Stonn had been grounded for a few days in his rooms. T'Ping said it was because his unseemly behavior while in Jim's presence, as he had engaged in a fist fight with another Vulcan student.

Sam had listened in between horrified and amused, when the Vulcan girl explained that Sekra, the other Vulcan, had told Jim quite smartly that he now looked like a character from a traditional human tale of adventures and heroics, and therefore, it was illogical of him to try and return to his normal human appearance.

Sam had stared at the Vulcan girl, not quite understanding how a simple compliment to his little brother had evolved into a fight.

"I do not understand it as well, Dr. Kirk," she said. "But your brother seemed quite upset as he realized he had been compared to a character from The Lord of the Rings and found himself crying in earnest, which irrevocably began the fight."

Sam had rushed to his brother's room only to find him sulking in his bed, arms crossed.

"What happened, Jimmy?" he asked softly. Jim grabbed his PADD, still unable to speak on his own, and began typping furiously.

**'I don't look like fucking GOLUM, right?'** he typed, cheeks flushing.

Sam had to laugh at that, cradling his brother in his arms and assuring him that the other Vulcan boy had most likely not read the whole book and must have thought he was flattering Jim.

"At least Stonn put him in his place," Sam tried to sooth. Jim nodded and that was the last time they spoke of the incident.

So yes, he knew Stonn was irrational, jealous and a little creepy, but he cared about Jim enormously and would make sure no one touched his little brother or even looked at him in the wrong way until he was back from his call.

"You see, Stonn," he explained. "I have to take a private call in a few minutes and it might take me a few hours, depending on what I hear."

Stonn's eyes widened further, his whole pose one of Vulcan eagerness.

"Am I to assume you wish me to remain by James' side for the duration of your absence?" he asked, rising and eyebrow. Somehow, to Sam, he looked a little like Ambassador Sarek, but really, all Vulcans looked the same in a way, and it must have been his own imagination.

"You've been lurking around Jimmy's room anyways," Sam sighed, already regretting his choice, something told him he was giving the little Vulcan far too much power over Jim. "Just make sure you keep your telepathic Vulcan fingers to yourself and we'll be fine, ok?"

Stonn's eyes fell to his shows.

Sam grinned.

"Don't play innocent with me, boy," he said. "I am a xenobiologist, I just had to do some research as Vulcan anatomy is not something I have seen yet, but it wasn't all that hard to guess what you were trying to do to my brother once I had all the data."

Stonn had the decency to look embarrassed.

"I must admit I was curious," he defended himself. "James is a unique subject."

"A subject," Sam repeated with a frown.

Stonn nodded.

"James presents a level of abuse not seen on any human in the last two centuries, yet he remains alive and coherent," the Vulcan boy explained. "Older and more experienced humans succumbed to famine while he has not, it is a fascinating paradox, that of his mental state."

Sam narrowed his eyes.

"Don't try my patience, brat," he hissed. "My brother is not your lab rat…"

"I believe I could not explain myself correctly," Stonn interrupted, his cheeks flushing green. "I am quite aware James is a human and an admirable one at that. I do not wish to study him as n anomaly, but as an example of your race."

"If I find you've been lying," Sam threatened.

"Vulcan's do not lie, Dr. Kirk," Stonn replied.

The beeping on Sam's terminal alerted them both, the human sighed.

"Damn it," he swore. "Ok, stay with Jimmy until I come back. Please make sure he eats and don't let anyone but myself or Admiral Archer into his room, got it?"

Stonn nodded, eyes full of determination.

"Understood," he said. "No harm will come to James while I am by his side."

Sam dashed into the communications room, flashing his special permit to a surprised security officer and smiling gratefully at the Vulcan woman holding the comm for him.

"Doctor Kirk will be taking your call now," she said, her face expressionless. Sam thanked her once more before he took the earpiece.

"…hello?" he said hesitantly.

Mr. Parker's laughter filled his ears as his jolly face appeared on the screen.

"That Vulcan sure is a scary woman," he laughed. "Would you ask Miss T'Pan whether she'd like to come to Earth and work with me?"

Sam turned towards the woman and could almost imagine her horror at the prospect. He shook his head.

"I don't think Miss T'Pan would like that very much, Mr. Parker," he said. "Anyways! What news do you have for me?"

The lawyer sobered quickly, his glasses glinting in the light.

"Lt. Commander Kirk was finally available to respond to your demands and your request for emancipation, Mr. Kirk," he said seriously.

"Finally!" Sam grinned, eyes wide. If his mother had signed his petition he could start looking for a house for him and Jimmy right away and have it furnished and ready by the time they landed on Earth. "Did she sign?"

Mr. Parker shook his head.

"As you requested I forwarded both your emancipation and your petition for the custody of your younger brother, as it might have been the last time we had contact with your mother's ship in a long time," Parker explained, bushy eyebrows meeting in a frown. "She didn't take it very well."

"How bad was it?" Sam asked, sitting a little straighter in his chair. Parker shook his head, eyes apologetic.

"She is waiting on the other line," he sighed. "And will not release the comm until she has spoken with you and your brother."

Sam felt his skin turn cold.

"Jim is in no state to talk to her!" he protested. "He doesn't even know what I'm doing."

"I told Commander Kirk the same thing," Parker said tiredly. "She insists her sons cannot fool her as they have obviously fooled me."

"Should I take the comm?" Sam asked, feeling butterflies on his stomach. His hands were sweating and his ears felt numb as he saw Mr. Parker nod.

"I believe you should, she is your mother after all. However, as your personal and legal advisor I would recommend I'm present during the conversation," Parker said, eyes solemn. Sam sighed.

"Pass her through, then, Mr. Parker,"

Parker gave him one small, encouraging smile before pressing a button on his own console. His screen split in two and while one half still held the image of Mr. Parker, who now remained muted, the other half now showed the face of one Winona Kirk.

Her face was older and more tired than Sam remembered, paler, harder, streaks of silver already bleached her blonde hair. Her hazel eyes, the same as his own, were cold and her cheeks were flushed an angry red. Sam instantly knew his mother was pissed.

"Samuel," she greeted calmly, her hands resting on her lap.

"Mom," Sam replied, trying to ignore the voices inside of his head urging him to take it all back and apologize, to maybe beg for forgiveness and hope for some of his mother's love. He's come too far now to go back.

"I would like an explanation, Samuel, about these documents I just received. Not only are you calling me unfit to be your mother, but you also question Jim's safety under my care?" she asked, her frown deepening the wrinkles around her eyes that Sam had never seen before.

"I never wanted it to come to this," Sam said seriously. "But you and Frank left me no choice."

Winona rolled her eyes, her hands tightening on her lap were the only indication she was struggling to keep her cool.

"Is this about your brother's punishment again, Samuel?" she asked tiredly. "I know you and Frank have your differences, honey, but this is taking it all a little bit too far."

"A little too far?" Sam repeated, not able to believe his ears. "You think THIS is a little too far?" From the side-screen, Mr. Parker waved his hands frantically, urging Sam to calm down. Sam slumped on his chair, feeling drained.

"I know you think I was too hard on Jim, maybe you are right, but your brother was getting out of control. With you working on the shipyard and Frank taking care of business, no onw was there to look out for Jim."

Sam frowned suddenly.

"How do you know I was working on the shipyard?" he asked, eyes straying towards Mr. Parker's confused frown.

"Frank told me," she replied. "I called home after we spoke last, he said you left and were working on the shipyard near our farm for the summer while Jimmy was away."

Something cold and heavy settled on the teen's chest, something painful and disgusting. He tried, almost desperately, to see his mom on the woman on the screen, to see the laughing woman who taught him how to tie his shoelaces or how to write his own name on the dirt, the same who sang old Terran songs to him before he fell asleep. He tried to draw a mental giggle out of her mouth and to imagine those calloused hands serving him and Jimmy pancakes and showering them with playful kisses.

With a knot on his throat he realized, however, that he couldn't. The woman before him was not the same one that had loved them so long ago. This woman was the one who was barely home, the one that spent her shore leaves locked in her bedroom or wandering their farm like a ghost.

And Sam finally understood that the mother that had loved them and the one they had tried to protect with their silence was long gone.

And it hurt.

"Where are you, mom?" he asked softly.

Winona blinked, confused by the sudden change of subject.

"My team and I just left the mines of Argel XI, tomorrow we pick up our equipment and head back to Earth," she said.

"And you'll pick Jimmy upon your way home?" Sam asked.

Winona nodded.

"That's correct," she said. "I sent a report to the governor informing him of our arrival."

Sam felt that ugly cold weight pummel down inside of him.

"I don't think the governor got your comm, mom," he sighed. "Considering he's been dead for months by now."

"What?" Winona asked, leaning forward.

"And you won't find Jimmy on Tarsus IV anymore," he continued. "He's with me, we're on a Vulcan ship on OUR way back to Earth."

"Samuel!" Winona cried in surprise. "What did you and your brother do this time! I told you I would pick Jim and then we would talk this over as a family."

"We're not a family, mom!" Sam cried finally. "Not anymore! If I'd let you pick Jimmy up he would have been dead by now!"

"Let me talk to him, Sam!" the woman demanded. "I'll clear this matter at once! Both of you will go back home where you belong and I'll meet you both there as soon as I land."

"Jimmy can't come and talk to you," Sam interrupted with a hiss. "He can't walk much less speak. He doesn't need people upsetting him, for him to realize his mother didn't care about him enough to check whether he was alive or not."

"What is it you are talking about?" she asked. "Of course I care about Jim! As much as I care about you!"

"Did you read the report, then?" he asked. "All ships near Tarsus IV received a report, your ship should have it as well."

Winona frowned, eyes hard and distrustful.

"Go on, mom," he said. "I'll wait."

The woman took her terminal in her hands and started clicking away. Sam leaned back, knowing he should smile in victory over his mother, he was a better parent that her and this proved it. He even had Mr. Parker as a witness. He realized, however, that he didn't have the power in him to move, no strength left on his body to force a superior smile out of him.

He watched in silence as his mother's angry eyes scanned the report, her face quickly losing its color and twisting into a mask of pure horror. Then her hands went to cover her mouth and unsuccessfully cover her choked screams of distress.

After half an hour, Winona turned red-rimmed hazel eyes on him and whimpered.

"Is he well? Did you get there in time?" she said desperately. "Is he…"

"He's alive," Sam assured. "Though he wouldn't have been if I'd gotten there a day later. I'll send you the file and his records."

His mother nodded, eyes wide.

"I'm not a bad person, Sam," she whispered. "I didn't know this could happen, no one could have predicted this!"

"Yes, but I found out about is as soon as it happened while you just now come to hear of it." Sam argued. "And not because of Starfleet's contacts but because I checked on Jimmy everyday. I sent him mail and asked after his health and laughed at his jokes. I know how good his grades were, how many years he skipped of school, I know his favorite books and that he wants to learn how to hike. Can you honestly say you know all that?"

"I was busy working..:"

"And so was I!" Sam snapped. "I finished highschool, started college, but you didn't know that either, did you? I left home after I called you a year ago."

Winona shook her head, shocked.

Sam felt the fight leave him, so tired he was, so sick and tired. He wanted to go to sleep, to curl around Jimmy's smaller body and forget all the horror they had gone through. That he was seventeen and studying medicine while fighting a legal war against his own mother for a little brother he had singlehandedly dragged out of hell and who might never be the same cheerful boy he adored again.

He shook his head.

"Sign those papers, mom," he pleaded. "We can do this the easy way. In a year I'll be an adult anyways and I'll battle you for Jimmy all over again. I don't want to keep hurting us all."

"If I don't sign them we can all meet back home in Iowa," she tried to reason. Sam's eyes narrowed.

"I won't take Jimmy to Frank anymore," he threatened. "Sign those papers or I'll take Jimmy away where you can never find us, I've got friends who can help me. You'll never hear from us again. We'll be as good as dead to you."

"You are bluffing," Winona said.

"Are you willing to take the chance, mom?" he sneered. "Can you really tell whether I'm bluffing or not? Do you really know me that well, if at all?"

The woman's shoulders slumped.

"Will I be able to visit you both whenever I'm on Earth?" she asked in defeat.

"Of course," her son answered. "You can mail and visit and everything."

Silence fell between them. Sam could feel the nervous sweat on the back of his head, the ache of his tense muscles and how his teeth grounded on his tongue. His mother looked at him for a minute that seemed eternal and must have lasted less than a wink, when her hand grabbed her stylus and a broken sob escaped her throat.

"You were always so grown up, Sam," she sighed, easily signing both documents. "I hope you will send me your address as soon as you get it, we can spend Christmas together?"

Sam's terminal beeped its own anticlimactic confirmation.

He, George Samuel Kirk, was now a legal adult on the eyes of the Federation and the sole guardian of his younger brother, James Tiberius Kirk. Sam knew the knowledge should have come as a relief.

He had won, he was free…

… it didn't, really.

He stared at his mother, her thin body, roughened knuckles and tired eyes. Her whole pose exhuded defeat.

"Mom," he said, startling her and himself. "I think you should take some time off, see a doctor." His mother sent him a questioning look, he flushed. "You've been sad since dad died, and it's not fair to you, to us."

"It's hard…" she said. "Letting go of your father."

"Get some help, mom," Sam urged. "It's not fair. You deserve to be happy again, we miss you."

Winona tried to smile at him… and was not very successful.

"I'll think about it, son," she sighed. "I… love you, you know? You and Jimmy. Make sure neither of you forget that."

Sam nodded.

"See you on Earth," he said and tried not to feel insecure when she absently nodded and finished the call.

Sam felt drained, sitting there before the blank screen. A part of him told him he should tell Mr. Parker, still on the other line and staring sympathetically at him, to start the paperwork on his inheritance and search for a suitable house for him and his brother, but right now he couldn't move, couldn't speak another word. There was a knot lurking in his throat that made bile rise to his mouth and stain his tongue with the curious taste of ashes and soap.

Someone pushed a handkerchief into his line of vision. Sam looked up and found Admiral Archer's stern face staring back at him, eyes as tired as he felt, as lonely.

"I'm so sorry, Samuel," he said. Sam wanted to ask him what he was sorry for. He had won, he was free. He would never have to depend on his mother or stepfather anymore.

Today he had broken his last remaining bond to his mother.

Oh.

Suddenly he realized there were tears streaking down his cheeks and that lump was crawling its way up to pour from his mouth. He took a deep breath, maybe two, before he burst into deep sobs, the pain, the worry and the frustration of the last year finally caught up with him and refused to be ignored any longer.

He cried quietly at first, softly, but as his sorrow gained momentum, his sobs became screams that left him gasping and disoriented.

Admiral Archer wrapped an arm around his shoulders, still silent, and let him cry at his leisure. Sometimes he ran a comforting hand down his back, some others he sent T'Pan an apologetic smile. He must surely be shocking her with such emotional display of grief.

Sam would fall asleep on the old Admiral's arms and wake up the following morning on Jim's bed, his little brother comfortably snuggling on his chest. He gently ran a finger down his brother's sallow cheek, marveling how the color was slowly turning back to a healthy pinkish gold, the silvery nano-wiring holding Jim's mouth shut would be removed in a few days and the keratinne and protein treatment on his hands had restored his little nails almost to normal already.

But what made him smile the most was the soft fuss of blond hair growing steadily on his baby brother's scalp.

The road to recovery was still long and hard for both of them. Sam had purposefully made them both orphans, Jimmy might never be the same sweet child, but for the first time since their nightmare had started, Sam knew they would be ok.

With a contented sigh he wrapped both arms around Jim's still too-thin frame and fell back to sleep, the world could wait a few more hours for the infamous Kirk sibblings.

To be Continued.


	6. Chapter 6

True to the doctor's prognosis, Jim walked by himself the day they all land on Earth. Sam could only stare in awe at the way Jim seemed to commandeer all eyes as he left the shuttle, a small bag slung over his still-a-little-bit-bonny shoulder.

His brother was quickly turning from a skinny boy into a stunning young man.

Stonn kept staring at him avidly as they said their goodbyes and exchanged comm information. Jim wanted to stay in touch and would not take no for an answer. Stonn was more than eager to comply to his wishes.

Sam laughed.

He gave Stonn a pat on the head and had to cover his mouth when Jim wrapped his arms tightly around the young Vulcan and kissed his cheek, because while the boy's expression was impassive his whole face was a deep shade of green and then his hands tightened when Jim did the same to his adored Tom and little Kevin, who was so tearful and clingy and didn't seem to want to let go of his own personal hero.

T'Pill… T'Pirr… his own Vulcan stalker was not happy to receive a hug from Jim but only a pat on the head from Sam, and was quite vocal in her dissatisfaction.

"You two be good and take care, ok?" Sam said to the Vulcans. "Whenever you are in town again, be sure to come and visit." He knew the Vulcan children were all going home the very same day, the emotional trial they have all been put on had upset most of their parents and the possibility that any of them would set foot on Earth again was close to none (he can ask Jim to do the math later, Jim is happy around numbers and they give Sam a headache. They make a good team.)

Admiral Archer drove them around Headquarters and through the city in a haze of blurring colors and sounds. He didn't want them to face the press, he said. And was taking the long way.

Through the window Sam saw his school, he knew he would have to go back and finish his education someday. He wanted to be someone Jim would be proud of. Still Jim was and always would be his number one priority and his medical degree can wait until he felt safe enough to leave his brother alone and not panic at the thought he was going to disappear again.

It took them three months for Sam to even go out of the house without having to stop and turn around or face hyperventilation.

He guessed he was messed up as well.

The house Sam chose was in the outskirts of town, surrounded by vast countryside (that had cost more than one would think, but he was willing to pay for their privacy) and only an hour away from San Francisco. Three bedrooms in case either Jim or him had any visitors, a small kitchen and eating areas. The rest of the house was dedicated to a living room staked with their father's old books and PADDs.

Jim stared around him in awe, the house was nothing like the one they had lived on in Riverside (Sam had made sure of it), and it seemed solely dedicated to their own personal interests instead of being a functioning family unit.

"You like?" Sam grinned, running a nervous hand through his head. Jim nodded slowly, letting his fingers feel the hard wood of the furniture, the soft cushions, the bricks on the walls.

"It's a new beginning," he whispered, turning to stare at his older brother.

"That it is," Sam agreed, wrapping his arm around Jim's shoulders. "Come on, I'll show you your room. I didn't have it decorated, though, I thought you might like it that way."

From the doorway, Admiral Archer smiled.

Maybe things would be ok for those two from now on.

Six months later, Jonathan Archer cursed his own tongue the moment he parked in from of the new Kirk household and found the broken windows and fretting Sam on the garden.

"That bad?" he asked as he approached the young man.

Sam nodded miserably.

"That's the third therapist that runs away screaming," he muttered anxiously. "They don't take it lightly when Jim throws things at them."

"Quite understandable," Archer agreed, sitting on the grass. "What happened this time, Samuel?"

Sam sighed, sitting by the Admiral and started his tale.

It wasn't that Jim was naturally violent. He was actually quite a silent and tranquil boy on his own, but then some buffoon would come over, thinking they had his case figured out, stick their foot on their mouth and get their asses kicked by a twelve year old.

Sam had tried to intervene once or twice, but Jim would not have it. He would stare at his brother in betrayal and then lock himself in his room, usually to hide under the bed to sob where no one would be able to see him, only to come out a week later, due to Sam's daily begging.

"I even took him to the park once a week, like Dr. Amaly said," Sam grunted.

_Jim at first had stared nervously around, staring at the laughing children curiously. Sam had always known his brother was a social butterfly, so he thought it would only be natural that Jim would decide to interact with smaller children and some his own age. It would heal him, Dr. Amaly said, to see so many happy faces. _

_Jim, however, had spent the first two hours staring from his seat on a bench, and then his attention had been caught by an old woman feeding the birds. _

_Sam followed his eyes in confusion. _

_The woman was plump, her blue floral dress clashed horribly with her neon yellow trainers and murky green socks, her hair was matted over her skull in dirty curls. _

_Jim only smiled fondly and told Sam he had never seen something so pretty. _

_"Pretty?" Sam had asked, raising an eyebrow. _

_"She enjoys life to the fullest," Jim said gently. _

_Sam thought it was progress, that Jim could find beauty in such… strange ways. His past experiences had made him appreciate the smallest pleasures of life and now he recognized beauty in them. Like a little girl petting her dog, to an athlete drinking a refreshing gulp of cool water after a thorough work out, or an old lady giggling like a child when the birds perched on her hands to get to the seeds she held. _

_Their routine visits to the park continued steadily for almost a week before Sam realized that while Jim seemed to enjoy watching the pedestrians, he never made contact with them. _

_"He subtracts himself from the equation," he told Dr. Amaly during a session. "Told me he didn't want to stain the picture."_

_Dr. Amaly had nodded then, an understanding look on her young face. _

_"I would believe that it's survivor's guilt, Dr. Kirk," she said. "Your brother feels guilty to enjoy the same little pleasures he observes, having lived while so many died. It is a common anomaly for those in his situation."_

_"How do I stop it! I want my brother to laugh and play again! Not smile like an old man and nod! Jimmy has to start living again." _

_"Introduce him to small doses of pleasure, an ice cream cone, a swim on the pool, things he would enjoy while around lots of people."_

_Sam frowned. _

_Dr. Amaly had to have read Jim's file and the fact he had spent days at an end hiding in a sewer, surrounded by still water that had wrecked his health and, of course, Jim's special relationship with food. He was always the last to start eating and only when he could see there was enough food on the table to satiate both him and Sam. _

_He never ate more than a few spoonfuls before pausing and staring until Sam had eaten twice that amount himself. Anorexia, Mrs. Leighton had told him over the comm. Tom was going through it as well. So closely linked to the thought that others deserved to eat in their stead that both boys were starving themselves in the face of people they cared about. _

_"I don't know what to do," Sam told Dr. Amaly. The woman was thoughtful for a moment, her eyes glinting behind her glasses. _

_"Maybe if you invited young Mr. Leighton to visit?" she said. "I could supervise the two of them. Having other present and serving a meal would help them face their shortcomings, even understand that food is simply not going to run out." _

_Sam raised an eyebrow, thinking that it was a little bit too easy, but agreeing nonetheless. Dr. Amaly was a professional with a P.H.D. and he was still a student. She ought to know best. _

_He had issued an invitation that very same night. _

_Jim had been ecstatic. Jumping on Sam's bed for hours in glee before launching himself to his brother's arms happily. _

_"I love you, Sammy!" he had said. Sam had smiled. _

"And then I came home today to fix the house for supper, Tom was supposed to arrive in a few hours and I found the windows broken and Jim shrieking like he was possessed.

"Did Dr. Amaly tell you what was wrong?" Archer asked, rubbing the back of his neck.

"She didn't have to," Sam growled, handing his mentor a PADD. Archer's eyes widened.

**_'A real hero: A Comparative study of two of the youngest Tarsus IV survivors James T. Kirk and Thomas M. Leighton. – By Dr. Beatrice J. Amaly.'_**

"That bitch," the Admiral sighed, deleting the half-written essay and then breaking the PADD against the floor. "Don't worry, Samuel, if James' or Thomas' names ever appear on the press that woman will rot in jail. She did sign a non-disclosure agreement, after all."

Sam nodded.

"Thanks, Admiral," he sighed. "I just don't understand. Jim is an adorable kid, he's fragile and sweet and in need of protection. Why can't anyone see that, help me protect my little brother."

Admiral Archer shook his head with a small smile.

"Samuel, you will see your brother as a delicate baby even by the time he is married and with children of his own," he commented idly. "It reminds me of another remarkable young man that once…"

Sam blinked as the old man grew quiet, a pensive look on his aged face.

"Admiral?" he prompted.

"I cannot believe I did not think of that before," Archer muttered to himself.

"Thought of what?" Sam asked impatiently. "Are you ok? What is it?"

The man turned to Sam with a small private smile and a malicious glint to his eyes that should have put the young man on alert but instead just settle uncomfortable dread at the pitch of his stomach.

"Samuel, do you trust me?" he asked slowly.

Sam nodded.

"You've been great so far, Admiral," he said hesitantly. "I mean, of course I can trust you with Jim's safety but…"

"Not a word, Samuel!" Archer interrupted. "Let me give you two a hand, I think I've got an idea."

Without another word Archer stood from his seat, waved goodbye to Sam, still on the floor, and to Jim who had woken up and was slowly crawling his way into his brother's lap. Sam stared in shock as the old man sped away, that disturbingly benign grin on his face.

"I guess… we can only wait," Sam told Jim, wrapping his arms tighter around his baby brother. "Want us to go and eat something?"

Jim looked at Sam, blue eyes red-rimmed and tired.

He shook his head and snuggled into his brother's shoulder.

Sam sighed.

"I don't want another babysitter," Jim said softly onto Sam's shirt, his skinny hands tight on his shirt. "I can do this on my own."

Sam stared threading his fingers over Jim's head.

"Baby, you are losing weight instead of gaining it. You can't eat, you can't sleep," he said. "I don't even remember how your laughter sounded like. I'm worried."

Jim's eyes went downcast, his expression guilty. Sam kissed his forehead gently.

"I know you can survive, Jim, you've proven that enough. But I don't want you to survive, I want you to live. I want you to stand up on your own and just enjoy the second chance you have, got it? I don't want you to turn up like mom did."

The words stung his tongue and, by the way Jim tensed in his arms, they stung his baby brother.

"… I don't wanna be like mom," he said softly, his hands trembling. Sam took those thin hands on his own larger ones and rested his head on top of Jimmy's. "I don't wanna be sad all the time."

"Let us help you then, Jim," Sam whispered bitterly. "Please let me help before it's too late." Jim nodded, sighing into his brother's skin.

Silence fell between them, tense and hurtful and so terribly heavy.

"A babysitter it is then," Jim muttered finally. "Do you think the Admiral will get us someone good?" Sam smiled.

"He'll need to, you are no easy kid to handle," he said fondly, his cheek nestled in Jim's golden locks. "He'll need Mary Fucking Poppins if he wants her to stay."

"Mary Poppins," Jim mussed. "Sounds like fun."

A week later and much to Jim's and Sam's astonishment a lone figure dressed in a long, black dress and holding a bag came to their doorsteps. Sam opened the door for her, wide eyed.

"Dr. Samuel Kirk?" the woman asked, her face stern. Sam nodded dumbly, unable to believe the Admiral could dare to do THIS!

"I am Doctor Kirk," he said slowly, the woman nodded.

"Then I believe I have arrived to the correct settlement. My name is T'Pol, and I have come as a request from Admiral Archer himself. I hope my presence and assistance with your younger brother's situation will be acceptable, Doctor Kirk," the woman said, her eyes were so cold, like colored glass and her face showed signs of age that would put her right around the same age as the old Admiral himself.

"Um, sure," Sam said. "Do come in."

The woman nodded, entering their house and setting her bag over a table. Jim was, as usual, curled up on the couch, reading a book. His bright blue eyes peered quickly to the new woman on the room before going back to his book, then doing a double take and raising again to regard the new arrival.

"Um, Jim, this is Mrs. T'Pol," Sam said awkwardly. "Mrs. T'Pol, this is my younger brother James Kirk, he is…"

"I am familiar with the situation at hand, Doctor Kirk, do not trouble yourself unnecessarily," T'Pol said, nodding her head. "Good day, James, I am T'Pol and I will be assisting you until you can assist yourself. Is that acceptable?"

Jim stared in silence, shocked beyond relief. Sam held his breath. What had the Admiral been thinking when he decided to send them a Vulcan, A VULCAN! Their sharp tongues and cold demeanor was the least Jim needed at the moment. Jim needed affection, and warmth and all the things his mother had neglected to give him and Frank and Tarsus had droven away with their torture and cruelty.

Jim needed a Betasoid, an Orion, someone who could cuddle with him when Sam was not around and that would hold Jim's hand when he…

When Jim…

Sam's eyes widened when his little brother let out a small choked noise from his lips. T'Pol raised an eyebrow, her posture one of non-amusement but Sam felt tears flood his eyes when the sound repeated once, then twice.

Jim's skin was flushing, his eyes were growing brighter.

The sound came up again.

Sam felt relief eat him alive.

Jim was laughing.

"S-sammy," Jim giggled. "We should call Admiral Archer, we wanted Mary Poppins and he sent us Nanny McPhee!"

Sam smiled himself, shaking his head.

"Nanny McPhee, really?" he said fondly, wrapping an arm around his little baby's shaking frame.

"I am not familiar with neither Mrs. Poppins nor Mrs. McPhee," T'Pol said, unamused. "I do not see any resemblance I might have with either human female and as I have already stated, my name is T'Pol and I am most definitely not your nanny, James."

Jim giggled again, taking T'Pol's hand in his own and dragging her to his room to show her who Nanny McPhee and Mary Poppins were and why they were so happy to welcome her in their house.

Sam smiled.

Somehow, despite his earlier reservations, he felt that things would be ok from now on. If anything wrong happened, now he was sure a logical Vulcan woman could watch over Jim while he was at school and maybe, just maybe, Jim's special affinity with Vulcans would serve him well. T'Pol had never complained over the rough handing his little brother hand given him.

He shook his head.

Jim would rise once more and he would be bright and great like a supernova. Sam could believe it now. The Kirk siblings would be great now that the first steps of recovery were being taken.

He just had to be patient.

To be Continued


	7. Chapter 7

Weeks passed smoothly with the new addition to their small, damaged family. T'Pol would often sit around the house and just type on her PADD, sending messages to the Vulcan Embassy while Sam and Jim studied on their respective homework.

At first, though, the Vulcan woman's simple, yet straightforward ways were not so welcomed by Jim, who would seldom leave his bedroom in order to eat. T'Pol had established a schedule for Jim to follow which had him showering every night, eating his daily three meals and studying.

However, making him leave the sanctity of his bedroom was a no-no.

She had commented that Jim spent an absurd amount of time in his bedroom and wanted him to enjoy the rest of the house and the gardens. Jim had told her that studying usually made him sleepy and so, he preferred to stay in his room and nap when he felt he needed it.

That very same night she had knocked on Sam's door to hand him a PADD battery, a bottle of water and a small plastic pot in case he might need to… relieve himself during the night.

Sam had gapped at her as she explained that if James wanted to stay in his bedroom all day long, he might as well have his wish granted thoroughly.

"I ask you to remain silent during the night at any cost, as James must stop relying on you for emotional protection," she said, her eyes cold.

Sam frowned.

"I want to protect my brother," he replied, arms crossing over his chest. "Whenever he needs my protection I will be there for him."

"I did not mean to offend you, Dr. Kirk," T'Pol said slowly. "What you stated is correct, you should protect your younger brother whenever he needs it, however, sometimes James will not need your protection but will seek it nonetheless as it is easier for him to hide behind you than to face whatever it is that is bothering him."

Sam clenched his fists, not wanting to believe that while he was doing his best to protect Jim from everything that might hurt him he was, in fact, hindering his recovering.

Was he really sheltering Jim?

"It is important for a young man his age to have a separate set of rules and roles," T'Pol continued. "And while it is only normal considering your particular familiar situation that you should take both as your responsibility, I was brought to this household for a duty that I intend to perform to my upmost best."

Sam shook his head.

"If this doesn't work, or if I see this hurts Jim…" he hesitated, biting his lip. "I swear I'll make you pay, old woman."

"I would expect nothing less, Dr. Kirk," T'Pol said with a small glint in her dark eyes that might have passed for fond amusement had she been human.

A few moments later he realized he had been locked in his room as the whole electricity of the house went out. Instantly he ran towards the wall to place his ear and see whether Jim was alright in his own room.

"Sammy?" Jim called, knocking on the door. "Mrs. T'Pol? Are you guys out there? What happened?"

"I decided after much meditation that granting your wish would be only logical, James," T'Pol explained from the hallway. "Since you find much security in your room and thus will not leave it without a struggle I decided to leave you to your rooms."

"WHAT!" Jim cried, banging his hands on the door. "LET ME OUT! WHAT IF I HAVE TO GO TO THE TOILET!"

"You can open a window and relieve yourself outside," T'Pol said simply. Sam tried to muffle his shock.

"SAM!" Jim screamed. "Tell her to let me out! Call Admiral Archer! SAMMY!"

"Your brother can't hear you," the Vulcan replied, almost mockingly. "I believe the human phrase would be: 'Enjoy the rest of your life, James'"

"YOU OLD WITCH!" Jim roared. "WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO IN HERE!"

"Your choices, James, though I would suggest sleep," T'Pol mussed. "I will go now to my own quarters to meditate. Good night, James."

Jim continued to yell and rave as he banged on his door for about two hours, maybe three. Then he tried to hack into the security system to open the doors, as Sam could monitor from his PADD, only to be followed around by small pop-ups in old Vulcan that had him shrieking in rage.

Finally, by midnight, Jim had huffed, sworn under his breath and decided he might as well go to sleep, as Sam could hear him muttering and the springs on his bed complaining under his weight.

The following morning T'Pol opened Jim's door to fin the young boy sulking, arms crossed.

"Will you come with me, now? Or would you rather stay in your secure bedroom?" She asked. Jim huffed.

"Got your point, _Nanny_," he snapped, getting his jacket and leaning over to kiss Sam on the cheek. "Careful with her, Sammy, she's really a witch!"

Sam had laughed a little, kissing his brother's cheek back.

"Have fun, Jimmy," he said gently. "I'll have breakfast ready when you guys come back."

Rule and roles, indeed.

Each morning since that fastidious night, T'Pol rose Jim from his bed at exactly 07:00 a.m. and dragged his sleepy brother to the local street market. Growing Terran children needed vitamins and proteins that were best served of freshly harvested vegetables, she told Jim and Sam, and since her age had left her weakened, she needed someone to carry the bags for her while she shopped for them.

Sam had offered to go shopping with the old woman himself, since Jim still was finishing high school and needed all the time he could to concentrate on his studies, but Jim had shaken his head vehemently and argued that while he was doing on-line courses, Sam had to go to college every single day and his time was, thus, more limited.

Plus he was a strong boy and he could help an old lady with a bag or two.

Sam had rolled his eyes and conceded, conveniently forgetting to inform Jim that while T'Pol might be as old as Admiral Archer, by Vulcan standards she was still quite young, plus, even if she was in the dawn of her life as she claimed, biologically she could carry the shopping herself, plus Jim and Sam, if she wanted to.

The old woman was planning something, Sam could tell, and he wanted to see what a logical Vulcan could be planning if she was forced to lie that way.

Two months later he realized Jim had gained weight as he wrapped his arms around his brother's back. His fingers, used to grace Jim's bony frame found a little soft sort of plump-ness in Jim's sides that brought tears to his eyes and a nearly inaudible sigh to his lips.

"You ok, Sammy?" his brother asked, snuggling into the embrace. Sam nodded, a tremulous smile on his face.

"You are getting a little meat on your bones, you know?" he told Jim, knowing from previous sessions with therapists that he should avoid words like 'fat', 'chubby' or even 'round' while referring to Jim, or he could trigger a relapse on his brother's condition.

Jim had blinked then, a small nervous smile stealing over his lips.

"It's all Nanny's fault," he admitted. "She says her Vulcan taste buds are too sharp and could make her ill, so I have to try all the fruits and veggies before we buy them, plus the meat and the milk and the cheese. By the time we are home I feel to full, it's weird."

Sam wanted to laugh, while it was true that Vulcan tongues were sharper than humans and that thus most spiced human foods were distasteful to Vulcans, it didn't mean T'Pol would get sick if she tied an apple.

Cunning old woman.

Plus Jim's tendency to call her 'Nanny' instead of the woman's name, as she often requested. It was T'Pol's fault really, and Sam wasn't really sure it bothered as much as she tried to make them think.

Sam couldn't help but smile as he saw the two of them arguing over lunch and homework. How he could tell T'Pol adored little Jim with all her Vulcanly logical heart and how Jim's eyes shone with mirth and warmth when the woman raised an eyebrow at his antics.

A good family of three, they had become.

While T'Pol disciplined Jim, Sam would coddle and pamper his little brother, as it was his nature and they both watched proudly as the little scared boy that had come back from Tarsus IV started blooming into teenage years gracefully.

Good team effort, if he could say so himself.

The only thing they could not achieve, no matter how much Sam fretted and hugged and kissed, and no matter how much T'Pol argued and set rules and logic, was for Jim to start interacting with other living beings beside themselves.

It didn't matter if T'Pol brought Jim to the park and had him stay for hours (current record was 15 straight hours) or if Sam convinced Jim of going to the hospital with him to help out at the children's ward. Jim remained separated and aloof, enjoying the sight of the children's happiness but never partook in it.

That is until that fatidic weekend Sam had silently dubbed 'THEN'.

One Monday morning Sam got a comm. From one of his most respected professors stating he was required for night shift at the hospital to deal with the yearly outbreak of Andorian Influenza. Common place cold for Andorians, a pain in the ass for humans.

And as he told T'Pol he would be gone from Friday until Sunday, he saw her purse her lips and frown almost imperceptively.

"T'Pau has requested I come back to Vulcan for that same date," she said. "Clan meetings."

Both stood in silence as Jim, now thirteen and almost going on fourteen looked at them with half of his breakfast smeared over his face.

"I can stay alone for a couple of days," he told them. "I'm not a baby."

"I can cancel at the hospital, I'm sure Professor Phlox wouldn't mind," Sam ventured, not really sure Jim could really behave himself while alone. It would be the first time his little brother had no one to run to if he needed it in years.

"But you need the credits!" Jim cried, taking his brother's hand. "I can do it, I promise."

"Maybe," T'Pol mussed. "T'Pau would understand that…"

"Nanny!" Jim growled. "You can't say no to T'Pau, she's a scary mot…. Woman. No, I'll stay alone and you guys will see how good I am and you'll feel silly when you come back on Sunday!"

Sam wanted to believe Jim, he had gone a long way from the shivering skeleton he had rescued from hell. But still… he wasn't sure he could be alone for such a long time.

What if he needed something? What if he fell and broke his arms? What if a rapist entered their little house and… no. Jim couldn't stay alone.

"Maybe Admiral Archer could check on you once in a while?" Sam offered, a small smile on his face at the thought of facing his mentor and his little brother. Jonathan Archer usually offered his help, specially when he saw that Jim preferred T'Pol's company to his own (Illogical Human Jealousy, T'Pol had sighed) but spending only a few hours every two or three months with Jim left the old man no idea how much of a little troublemaker his Jimmy could be.

It would be fun.

Jimmy seemed to think the same thing as he eagerly nodded his head.

"I know he's busy, he can check on me every day and if something goes wrong he can contact you, ok?" he said happily. "I'm sure an hour a day would be enough."

Sam fretted as he commed Admiral Archer and the old man just laughed at their predicament and waved a dismissive hand.

"Jim is really a good kid, Admiral," Sam said. "I want to believe that he can stay a day or two on his own but…"

"But you'll feel better knowing he has adult supervision," Archer interrupted. "I understand, Samuel."

"Are you confident in your ability to care for James' needs, Jonathan?" T'Pol asked, an eyebrow raised. "He can be quite rebellious."

"Unlike you, my friend, I think I can handle a teenager, plus Jim is a sweet little boy," he said. Sam and T'Pol looked at each other for a moment.

"Jim, promise me you will comm. us every three hours, just to be sure," Sam requested nervously. Ignoring the offended 'Hey!' from the comm. unit in favor of Jim's enthusiastic laughter.

"I promise," he said with a small smile. "Don't worry about me, Sammy!"

That Friday morning Sam couldn't tear his eyes off Jim's smiling face as he rode the car towards the hospital, readying himself for running antennae and mucus all weekend.

Jim waved at his older brother from his door until he disappeared down the road, same as he waved to 'Nanny' as she boarded the embassy's shuttle.

He was a big boy, almost an adult now.

Of course he could take care of himself.

Friday's shift went eternally for Sam as he spent most of his day taking care of ill Andorian and human children and checking his comm. for Jim's updates regularly.

Every three hours he got a small text from his brother that varied from:

**- 'Still alive, having lunch now… burned the pot but still good. **

**- Yup. Still not dying. Admiral Archer called, he'll be here in an hour. **

**- Broke both legs when I fell from the tree in the backyard and …. Hah! Got ya! I'm still fine, stop worrying about me! **

**- It's almost time for bed… love you, Sammy. **

**- The house is quiet without you and Nanny around. Not all that sleepy. **

**- Can I use your bed tonight? Mine is… lonely. **

**- Got a glass of milk… I miss you. **

**- Sleepy, hope you don't mind I'm sleeping in your pajama's as well. Good night, Sammy. **

Sam felt his heart break every time he read the comms. Jimmy was really lonely in their home. He tried to reply to the best of his ability but it was hard typing a coherent reply when he had an armful of screaming Andorians clamoring for attention, for more juice, more tissue, some pain killer.

Just a little more and he could go back home to his Jimmy.

Saturday morning he got his first comm. from Jim at 07:00 a.m.

**- Going to the market on my own. Nanny will be happy when she sees the fruit. **

Then a few hours later he read the description of Jim's studies for the day and his breakfast with satisfaction. And suddenly, by noon, he got:

**- Admiral Archer is here… can't type. Bye! **

Sam frowned.

Three hours passed without another comm., then six, then nine. By the time Sam had been relieved from duty to go back and take a nap he was so nervous he couldn't hold his food down.

Something had happened.

Jim had not commed. He was in danger.

Sam had to go… NOW!

Professor Phlox had stared at his crazy eyes and gasping mouth as he stammered reason after reason why he couldn't stay a minute longer at the hospital and why he needed to go back home now. Jimmy might be in danger. He shouldn't have trusted Admiral Archer with such a delicate child!

Jimmy needed him! He knew it!

Professor Phlox had laughed a little before dismissing him.

"Go and have fun, son," he said to Sam's rushing back as the young man left in a hurry, shaking his head.

On his way back he commed T'Pol and told her the news. Jim was not reporting back. Something terrible must have happened.

T'Pol told him she had tried to contact Jim herself and had not gotten an answer, which was the reason she was on a shuttle on her way as they spoke and that she would have to return at a later date since T'Pau seemed to be… displeased with her at the moment.

Amazingly enough for an old Vulcan woman, she was landing on their house's backyard by the time Sam was parking on the front.

Both looked at each other before rushing inside.

No one was there to greet them, however.

"JIMMY!" Sam cried, opening every door, peering under the beds in case his little brother was having one of his less frequent panic attacks.

Nothing.

T'Pol was on the kitchen, staring at the small back filled to the brim with the strawberries she was known to favor as if the fruit was breaking her Vulcan heart.

Jim had obviously gotten them for her.

But Jim was not home.

Jim had disappeared.

"Please," Sam choked. "Not again, Jimmy, don't disappear on me again!"

Tears pooled in his eyes as he ran a hasty hand over his hair, trying to control his panicked state and think, just think!

A car pulling down their driveway alerted them both that someone was there. Both human and Vulcan rushed to the door to see Admiral Archer stepping down the car with a bright smile on his face and helping Jimmy out.

Both were laughing.

"JIM!" Sam cried, falling to his knees in relief.

Jim turned to him, eyes wide.

"Sammy! You came back early!" he said happily, rushing to wrap his arms around his older brother's shoulders. Sam embraced his Jimmy tightly, trying to breath in his scent, to reassure himself that Jimmy was really there with him.

Admiral Archer stared at him with a raised eyebrow.

"I thought you two would be back by Sunday," he said, confused.

"Jonathan, you will explain what were you thinking by taking James away from home without consulting with Dr. Kirk and myself first," T'Pol growled, her arms crossing over her chest.

Admiral Archer laughed.

"Jim was really bored in this house all by himself," he replied with a shrug. "And then I thought back to the times you told me he had issues with people and interaction and, meh, I thought it would be a good idea to take the little rascal out of his comfort zone."

"We went to the Admiral's house! It's awesome, Sammy!" Jim beamed. Sam took Jim by the shoulders, not amused by the situation.

"Why didn't you comm. me! Do you know how worried T'Pol and I have been?" he demanded, eyes wide. Jim pursed his lips, pouting.

"I wanted to, but I dropped my unit on the way to the Admiral's place and then I tried another one but you re-routed your comms!" he defended himself. "I tried comming Nanny as well, but this snotty Vulcan guy said that Lady T'Pol was not to be bothered and that he would pass on the message!"

Sam blinked.

True, while on call at the hospital he usually set his comm. unit to re-route his calls until he was able to check them, only allowing Jim's personal unit to go through. He turned to T'Pol.

"There was an aide trying to contact me at the meeting," she admitted. "However, I was on my way to Earth and not willing to wait for him."

"It wasn't my fault, then," Jim grinned.

"You both knew he was with me," Archer mussed with a small smile. "Why didn't either of you call me to check?"

Sam flushed.

"I… wasn't thinking at the moment," he said, hiding his face on Jim's shoulder. Jim laughed gently, petting his hair.

"I'm sorry I worried you two," he said. "Sorry, Sam. Sorry, Nanny."

T'Pol placed a hand on Jim's hair and shook her head.

Archer laughed, but as he received a frigid look from the Vulcan he wisely chose to remain silent on the matter that Lady T'Pol had given T'Pau the finger and dashed back to Earth the moment she thought that illogical Jim boy could be in danger.

How sweet.

"Plus!" Jim grinned. "You two have to meet Artie!"

"Artie?" Sam asked, still not willing to let go of Jim's body.

Archer nodded, opening the door of his hover car.

"D'Artagnan, actually," he corrected. "Artie for short."

"You certainly wouldn't dare to…" T'Pol began.

"I certainly did," Archer interrupted.

A small whine came from the vehicle as a three month old beagle jumped into the yard and skipped happily towards Jim. The boy picked it up happily, rubbing his nose onto the soft fur.

"Can we keep him, Sammy? Please! Admiral Archer said it was a present, and look at him! He's so cute!" he begged, trusting the puppy onto his brother's face. "I promise I'll take care of him and I'll walk him and bath him and train him and please! Pretty pleaaaase, Sammy?"

"Tom's and Kevin's guardians said it was ok for them to keep one, so I guessed you wouldn't be less, Samuel," the old man commented.

Sam sighed.

"You kidnapped my brother, took him away from home without my permission nor knowledge, to meet his old friends and to give him a puppy?" he asked with a frown. Jim looked from his brother to T'Pol, as they were both glaring daggers at the old Admiral.

"Well, yes?" Admiral Archer said with a shrug. "He needed to get away from his comfort zone, plus it was time Jim and his little friends met up once more. And the puppy can be therapeutic for him?"

"Please, Sammy, Nanny?" Jim begged, his wide blue eyes bright and innocent.

Sam looked at T'Pol.

The Vulcan shook her head.

"You will need to train D'Artagnan to walk with us to the local market each morning, James, and to be a well behaved dog while you go to college," she said. "Do not expect the dog to be a leeway for you to avoid your chores."

Jim beamed.

"I promise!"

Sam sighed and shared a secret smile with the old Admiral.

Maybe it wouldn't be so bad, and it had been a while since Jim interacted so openly with another creature. He secretly thanked the Admiral for his thoughtfulness and decided he was going to leave the punishing and cold shoulder to T'Pol. She had enough experience with the old man to give him a quite logical 'kick in the nuts' for scaring them.

To be Continued.


End file.
